12. SANTI PARVA (369)

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Cruel and sinful that we are, alas, we have slainbrothers and sires and grandsons and kinsmen and friends and sons. How, Ograndsire, shall we dispel this thirst for wealth. Alas, through thatthirst we have perpetrated many sinful deeds.’

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Time, that is fraught, with terror unto allcreatures, is running his course. What is that source of good after whichone should strive? Tell me this, O grandsire!’

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Of what behaviour must a man be, of what acts, ofwhat kind of knowledge, and to what must he be devoted, for attaining toBrahma’s place which transcends Prakriti and which is unchangeable?’

“Yudhishthira said, ‘All men speak of ourselves as highly fortunate. Intruth, however, there is no person more wretched than ourselves.

Vaisampayana said, “Vyasa then dispelled the grief of the eldest son ofPandu., who, burning with sorrow on account of the slaughter of hiskinsmen, had resolved to make an end of himself.”

“Usanas said, ‘I bow to that divine and illustrious and puissant Beingwho holds this earth with the firmament in his arms. I shall speak tothee of the pre-eminent greatness of that Vishnu whose head, O best ofthe Danavas, is that Infinite place (called Emancipation).’

“Yudhishthira said, ‘How great was the love of virtue possessed by Vritraof immeasurable energy, whose knowledge was incomparable and whosedevotion to Vishnu was so great.

“Bhishma said, ‘Listen, O king, to me as I tell thee the symptoms thatappeared on the body of Vritra when he was overtaken by that fever (bornof the energy of Mahadeva).

“Yudhishthira said, ‘O grandsire, thou art possessed of great wisdom andthoroughly conversant with every branch of learning. From this verynarrative of the slaughter of Vritra the wish has arisen in my mind ofasking thee a question.

“Janamejaya said, ‘How O Brahmana, was the Horse-sacrifice of thePrajapati Daksha, the son of Prachetas, destroyed during the age ofVaivaswata Manu?

“Yudhishthira said, ‘It behoveth thee, O sire, to tell me those names bywhich Daksha, that progenitor of creatures, adored the great deity. Osinless one, a reverent curiosity impels me to hear them.’

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Tell me, O grandsire, what is Adhyatma with respectto man and whence it arises.’

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Living creatures always stand in fear of sorrow anddeath. Tell me, O grandsire, how the occurrence of these two may beprevented.’

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Tell me, O grandsire, what is beneficial for onethat is unconversant with the truths of the scriptures, that is always indoubt, and that abstains from self-restraint and the other practiceshaving for their object the knowledge of the Soul.’

“Yudhishthira said, ‘How, O grandsire, should a king like us behave inthis world, keeping in view the great object of acquisition? Whatattributes, again, should he always possess so that he may be freed fromattachments?’

Vaisampayana said, “The foremost of kings, viz., Yudhishthira the son ofDharma, still remaining speechless, Pandu’s son Arjuna addressed Krishnaand spoke as follows:

“Yudhishthira said, ‘This curiosity, O sire, is always dwelling in mymind. O grandsire of the Kurus, I desire to hear everything about it fromthee.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘O thou of mighty arms, tell me, after this what isbeneficial for us. O grandsire, I am never satiated with thy words whichseem to me like Amrita.

“Parasara said, ‘That man who, having obtained this car, viz., his bodyendued with mind, goes on, curbing with the reins of-knowledge the steedsrepresented by the objects of the senses, should certainly be regarded aspossessed of intelligence.

“Parasara said, ‘Nobody in this world does good to another. Nobody isseen to make gifts to others. All persons are seen to act for their ownselves.

“Parasara said, ‘The lowest order, it is proper, should derive theirsustenance from the three other orders. Such service, rendered withaffection and reverence, makes them righteous.

“Parasara said, ‘I have now discoursed to thee on what the ordinances areof the duties in respect of one that leads the domestic mode of life.

“Janaka said, ‘Whence, O great Rishi, does this difference of colourarise among men belonging to the different orders? I desire to know this.Tell me this, O foremost of speakers! The Srutis say that the offspringone begets are one’s own self.

“Parasara said, ‘The sires, the friends, the preceptor, and the spousesof the preceptors of men that are destitute of devotion are unable togive to those men the merits that attach to devotion.

“Bhishma said, ‘Once again Janaka, the ruler of Mithila, questioned thehigh-souled Parasara endued with certain knowledge in respect of allduties.’

“Narada said, ‘That tiger of Bhrigu’s race (viz., Rama), was well-pleasedwith the might of Karna’s arms, his affection (for him), hisself-restraint, and the services he did unto his preceptor.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘How did the son of Srinjaya becomeSuvarnashthivin?[103] Why also did Parvata give Srinjaya that child? Andwhy did he die? When the lives of all men in those days extended for athousand years, why did Srinjaya’s son die in infancy? Or, was he in nameonly Suvarnashthivin? How also did he come to be so? I desire to know allthis.’

“Yudhishthira said, ‘O grandsire, learned men praise truth,self-restraint, forgiveness, and wisdom. What is thy opinion of thesevirtues?’

“Yudhishthira said, ‘It behoveth thee to explain to me, O sire, what thedifference is between the Sankhya and the Yoga system of philosophy. Oforemost one of Kuru’s race, everything is known to thee, O thou that artconversant with all duties!’

YUDHISHTHIRA SAID, ‘O king thou hast duly propounded unto me, in the wayin which it should be, the path of Yoga which is approved by the wise,after the manner of a loving preceptor unto his pupil. I ask now aboutthe principles of the Sankhya philosophy.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘What is that which is called Undeteriorating and byattaining to which no one has to come back?

“‘Vasishtha said, ‘Thus in consequence of his forgetfulness the Soulfollows ignorance and obtains thousands of bodies one after another.

“‘Vasishtha said, ‘It is thus, in consequence of his Ignorance and hisassociation with others that are invested with Ignorance, that Jiva hasrecourse to millions and millions of births every one of which hasdissolution in the end.

‘”Janaka said, O holy one, it has been said that the relation betweenmale and female is like that which subsists between the Indestructibleand the destructible (or Purusha and Prakriti). Without a male, a femalecan never conceive. Without a female a male also can never create form.

‘”Janaka said, Thou hast, O foremost of Rishis, said that Unity is theattribute of that which is Akshara (Indestructible) and variety ormultiplicity is the attribute of what is known as Kshara (Destructible).

“‘Vasishtha said, I have thus far discoursed to thee on the Sankhyaphilosophy. Listen now to me as I tell thee what is Vidya (knowledge) andwhat is Avidya (Ignorance), one after the other.

“‘Vasishtha said, Listen now to me as I discourse to thee on Buddhas(Supreme Soul) and Abuddha (Jiva) which is the dispensation of attributesof Sattwa, Rajas, and Tamas.

Vaisampayana said, “The royal son of Pandu then addressed Narada, saying,’O holy one, I desire to hear of the birth of the child whose excretawere gold.’ Thus addressed by king Yudhishthira the just, the sage Naradabegan to narrate to him all that had occurred in connection with thatchild of golden excreta.

“Bhishma said, ‘Once on a time a king of Janaka’s race, while ranging theuninhabited forests in pursuit of deer, saw a superior Brahmana or Rishiof Bhrigu’s race.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘It behoveth thee, O grandsire, to discourse to me onthat which is freed from duty and its reverse, which is freed from everydoubt, which transcends birth and death, as also virtue and sin, which isauspiciousness, which is eternal fearlessness, which is Eternal andIndestructible, and Immutable, which is always Pure, and which is everfree from the toil of exertion.’

“Yajnavalkya said, Listen to me, O foremost of men, as I tell thee whatthe duration of time is in respect to the Unmanifest (or the SupremePurusha).

“Yajnavalkya said, I have, one after another, told thee the order of thecreation, with their total number, of the various principles, as also theextent of the duration of each.

‘Yajnavalkya said, Brahmanas conversant with the topics of enquiry speakof the two feet as Adhyatma, the act of walking as Adhibhuta, and Vishnuas Adhidaivatam (of those two limbs).

“‘Yajnavalkya said, These three, O foremost of men, (viz., Sattwa, Rajas,and Tamas), are the attributes of Prakriti.

“‘Yajnavalkya said, That which is without attributes, O son, can never beexplained by ascribing attributes to it.

“Yajnavalkya said, I have already spoken to thee of the science of theSankhyas.

‘Yajnavalkya said, Listen now to me, with attention, O king, as to whatthe places are to which those who die have to go.

“Yajnavalkya said, ‘Thou hast asked me, O monarch, of that Supreme Brahmawhich resides in the Unmanifest.

Vaisampayana said, “Unto king Yudhishthira who still remained speechlessand plunged in grief, the island-born Vyasa, that great ascetic,conversant with truths of religion, spoke again.”

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Having acquired great power and great wealth, andhaving obtained a long period of life, how may one succeed in avoidingdeath?

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Without abandoning the domestic mode of life, Oroyal sage of Kuru’s race, who ever attained to Emancipation which is theannihilation of the Understanding (and the other faculties)?

“Yudhishthira said, ‘How was Suka, the son of Vyasa, in days of old, wonover to Renunciation? I desire to hear thee recite the story. Mycuriosity in this respect is irrepressible.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘If there is any efficacy in gifts, in sacrifices, inpenances well-performed, and in dutiful services rendered to preceptorsand other reverend seniors, do thou, O grandsire, speak of the same tome.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Tell me, O grandsire, how the high-souled Suka ofaustere penances took birth as the son of Vyasa, and how did he succeedin attaining to the highest success?

“Bhishma said. ‘The son of Satyavati having obtained this high boon fromthe great God, was one day employed in rubbing his sticks for making afire.

“Bhishma said, ‘Thinking of Emancipation, Suka approached his sire andpossessed as he was of humility and desirous of achieving his highestgood, he saluted his great preceptor and said,–Thou art well versed inthe religion of Emancipation.

“Bhishma said, The next morning, king Janaka, O Bharata, accompanied byhis minister and the whole household, came to Suka, placing his priest inthe van.

“Bhishma said, ‘Having heard these words of king Janaka, Suka of cleansedsoul and settled conclusions began to stay in his Soul by his Soul,having of course seen Self by Self.

“Bhishma said, ‘Hearing these words of their preceptor, Vyasa’s disciplesendued with energy, became filled with joy and embraced one another.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Sons and grandsons and brothers and sires andfathers-in-law and preceptors and maternal uncles and grandsires, manyhigh-souled Kshatriyas, many relatives (by marriage), friends,companions, sister’s sons, and kinsmen, O grandsire, and many foremost ofmen coming from diverse countries, have fallen.

“Bhishma said, ‘After Vyasa had left the spot, Narada, traversing throughthe sky, came to Suka employed in studying the scriptures.

“‘Narada said, By listening to such scriptures as are blessed, as bringabout tranquillity, as dispel grief, and as are productive of happiness,one attains to (a pure) understanding, and having attained to it obtainsto high ‘felicity.

“‘Narada said, When the vicissitudes of happiness and sorrow appear ordisappear, the transitions are incapable of being prevented by eitherwisdom or policy or exertion.

“Bhishma said, Having ascended the summit of the mountain, O Bharata, theson of Vyasa sat down upon a level spot free from blades of grass andretired from the haunts of other creatures.

“Bhishma said, ‘Having spoken in this way (unto all things), theregenerate Rishi of austere penances, viz., Suka, stayed on his successcasting off the four kinds of faults.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘If a man be a house-holder or a Brahmacharin, aforest-recluse or a mendicant, and if he desires to achieve success, whatdeity should he adore?

“Bhishma said, ‘Addressed by Narayana, that foremost of beings, in thesewords, Narada, the foremost of men, then said these words unto Narayanafor the good of the world.

“Bhishma said, ‘Then upon the expiration of the great Kalpa, when thecelestial Purohita Vrihaspati was born in the race of Angiras, all thedeities became very happy.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘When the great king Vasu was so wholly devoted toNarayana, for what reason then did he fall down from heaven and why againhad he to sink beneath the surface of the Earth?”

“Bhishma said, ‘Arrived at the spacious realm called White Island, theillustrious Rishi beheld those same white men possessed of lunarsplendour (of whom I have already spoken to thee). Worshipped by them,the Rishi worshipped them in return by bending his head and reverencingthem in his mind.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘After doing what acts does a man become liable toperform expiation? And what are those acts which he must do for beingfreed from sin? Tell me this, O grandsire.’

“Bhishma said, ‘Thus hymned with names that were not known to others, theDivine Narayana having the universe for his form showed himself to theascetic Narada.

Saunaka said, How is that illustrious god, viz., the puissant Narayanawho is fully conversant with the Vedas and their branches, at once thedoer and the enjoyer of sacrifices?

Janamejaya said, “O holy one, it behoveth thee to tell me thesignificance of those diverse names uttering which the great Rishi Vyasawith his disciples hymned the praises of the illustrious slayer of Madhu.

“Arjuna said, ‘How did Agni and Shoma, in days of yore, attain touniformity in respect of their original nature? This doubt has arisen inmy mind. Do thou dispel it, O slayer of Madhu!’

Saunaka said, “O Sauti, excellent is this narrative which thou hastrecited. Verily, these ascetics, having heard it have all been filledwith wonder.

“Nara and Narayana said, ‘Deserving art thou of the highest praise, andhighly favoured hast thou been, since thou hast beheld the puissantNarayana himself (in the form of Aniruddha).

Vaisampayana said, “On one occasion, while residing in the retreat ofNara and Narayana, Narada the son of Pramesthi, having duly accomplishedthe rites and observances in honour of the deities, set himself toperform thereafter the rites in honour of the Pitris.

Vaisampayana said, ‘Having heard these words of Nara and Narayana, theRishi Narada became filled with devotion towards the Supreme Being.

Janamejaya said, ‘I have heard from thee the glory of the divine andSupreme Soul. I have heard also of the birth of the Supreme Deity in thehouse of Dharma, in the form of Nara and Narayana.

Janamejaya said, “The illustrious Hari becomes gracious unto them thatare devoted to him with their whole souls. He accepts also all worshipthat is offered to Him agreeably to the ordinance.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘After doing what acts does a man become liable toperform expiation? And what are those acts which he must do for beingfreed from sin? Tell me this, O grandsire.’

Janamejaya said, “The Sankhya system, the Pancharatra scriptures, and theAranyaka-Vedas,–these different systems of knowledge or religion,–Oregenerate Rishi, are current in the world.

Janamejaya said, “O regenerate one, are there many Purushas or is thereonly one? Who, in the universe, is the foremost of Purushas? What, again,is said to be the source of all things?”

‘Brahma said,–‘Listen, O son, as to how that Purusha is indicated. He iseternal and immutable. He is undeteriorating and immeasurable. Hepervades all things.

“Sauti said, ‘After Vaisampayana had explained to king Janamejaya in thisway the glory of Narayana, he began to discourse on another topic byreciting the question of Yudhishthira and the answer that Bhishma gave inthe presence of all the. Pandavas and the Rishis as also of Krishnahimself. Indeed, Vaisampayana began by saying what follows.[1924]

“Bhishma said, ‘In an excellent town called by the name of Mahapadmawhich was situate on the southern side of the river Ganga, there lived,

“The guest continued, ‘For all that, O Brahmana, I shall endeavour toinstruct thee duly. Listen to me as I recite to thee that which I haveheard from my preceptor.

“The host replied, ‘I have heard these words of thine, that are soconsoling, with as much gratification as is felt by a person heavilyloaded when that load is taken off his head or shoulders.

“Bhishma said, ‘Proceeding by many delightful forests and lakes andsacred waters, the Brahmana at last arrived at the retreat of a certainascetic.

“Bhishma continued, ‘The Nagas of that city became exceedingly distressedwhen they saw that that Brahmana, devoted to the practice of penances,continued to reside in the forest, entirely abstaining all the while fromfood, in expectation of the arrival of the Naga chief.

“Bhishma said, ‘Upon the expiry of the period of full fifteen days, theNaga chief (Padmanabha), having finished his task of dragging the car ofSurya and obtained the latter’s permission, came back to his own house.

“Vyasa said, ‘By penances, religious rites, and gifts, O Bharata, a manmay wash off his sins if he does not commit them again.

“The Naga said, ‘O thou of sweet smiles, for whom hast thou taken thatBrahmana? Is he really a human being or is he some deity that has comehither in the disguise of a Brahmana?

“Bhishma said, ‘Having said these words unto his dear spouse, the chiefof the Nagas proceeded to that place where the Brahmana was sitting inexpectation of an interview with him.

“The Brahmana said, ‘Thou goest away for dragging the one-wheeled car ofVivaswat according to thy turn. It behoveth thee to describe to meanything wonderful that thou mayst have noticed in those regions throughwhich thou sojournest!’

“Surya said, ‘This Being is not the god of fire, he is not an Asura. Noris he a Naga. He is a Brahmana who has attained to heaven in consequenceof his having been crowned with success in the observance of the vowcalled Unccha.

“The Brahmana said, ‘Without doubt, this is very wonderful, O Naga, Ihave been highly gratified by listening to thee.

“Yudhishthira said, ‘Tell me, O grandfather, what food is clean and whatunclean, what gift is praiseworthy, and who should be considereddeserving and who undeserving (of gifts).’

“Yudhishthira said, ‘O holy and great ascetic, I desire to hear in detailwhat the duties of kings are and what the duties, in full, of all thefour orders. I desire also to hear,